Hey Cupcake! founder launches new company all about clean living

A new Austin startup aims to provide more than just bottled water to customers. From the founder of Hey Cupcake! comes Clean Cause Water, a local line of purified water products on a mission: 50 percent of the profits will help people who are recovering from drug and alcohol addiction.

The bold idea comes from Wes Hurt, who started beloved Hey Cupcake! in 2007. Hurt's own struggles with addiction led him to pass the reigns of Hey Cupcake! to a partner, but also inspired him to launch a company that could helps others dealing with similar issues.

"Addiction affects all of us in one way or another," Hurt said in a press release. "We want to encourage people to take this epidemic head on and for everyone to experience the joys of living clean." Clean Cause Water wants to "open the public dialogue and remove the stigma of alcohol and drug addiction," notes its website.

The bottled water is sourced from Texas' Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer, purified in-house, and available in two forms: still and sparkling. Austinites can purchase the still water at local retailers like Juiceland and Central Market.

The company has launched a Kickstarter to support large-scale production of the sparkling mineral water. "By supporting Clean Cause, you'll be a part of the clean dream," says Hurt in the Kickstarter video. "You'll be helping individuals in recovery."

As part of its mission, Clean Cause will hire people who are currently in recovery. The company also hopes to support rehabilitation services such as scholarships and family counseling.

"Our goal is to create a sustainable source of funds that will enable us to help cover the costs of desperately needed services," reads the website.